


Dole Whip

by Maiden_of_Asgard



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes Fluff, Disney World & Disneyland, Domestic Avengers, Established Relationship, F/M, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:53:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23781919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maiden_of_Asgard/pseuds/Maiden_of_Asgard
Summary: It's high time you take a vacation from Stark Enterprises, so you head down to Disney World for a week... and you drag Bucky along with you.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Reader
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	Dole Whip

“I can’t believe we’re here,” you practically sing, leaning out the window to get a better view of the gates that lead into Walt Disney World. _ “Finally.” _

“I can’t, either.”

Your driver sounds significantly less enthused. “Don’t look so grim, Bucky,” you say, pushing back your sunglasses to grin at him. “This is the happiest place on Earth. Didn’t you get the memo?”

He glances over at you, and the corner of his lip turns up. “I’m glad you’re excited,” he says. 

“I’m glad you agreed to come. It’s going to be awesome.” You turn your attention back to the view; it’s been ages since you’ve gotten to do anything fun. “Plus,” you add, “this is the first time we’ve been on a trip together, just the two of us. That’s kinda neat, right?”

His smile becomes a little more easy. “My girl gets what my girl wants.”

“Yeah? Well, your girl wants you to relax a little, okay? We aren’t at work. You don’t have to be all tough and grouchy.”

“You think I’m grouchy?”

_ “And  _ tough.” 

Bucky often seems almost shy when he smiles, like he isn’t quite sure what to think of the fact that he’s capable of smiling at all. “I’m gonna enjoy having some alone time with you, too,” he says. “I just don’t know how much I’ll enjoy the rest of it. Crowds. Noises. People in weird costumes.”

“We live with people in weird costumes. Heck,  _ you’re _ a person in a weird costume, sometimes.”

“Armor,” he says. “That doesn’t count.”

“Sure, sure. Oh, crap, I think that was our turn - no superhero driving!” you quickly add, already anticipating Bucky’s urge to pull a quick U-turn and careen across the perfectly-manicured Disney grass. 

“I could’ve made it.”

“Yeah, but then we’d have the Disney police after us. Imagine how bad that would be for PR. No worries. We can loop around, enjoy the scenery.”

“The scenery is grass and trees and other tourists.”

Your cheerful mood remains entirely unfazed. “Already in the vacation spirit, I see. Turn here, babe.” When you look over at him, you notice that he’s still got a funny sort of smile on his face. “What?”

“You’re so excited,” he says. “It’s cute.”

You bask in the praise. Your relationship with Bucky Barnes is… weird. You know he’s crazy about you, of course, but he’s a taciturn guy. Hesitant -  _ cautious. _ Acutely aware that everyone is watching him, waiting for him to snap. 

You’d been a little unsure when it came to booking your room - one room, one bed. He’d glanced over the reservation before you’d confirmed it. Nodded. “Looks good,” he’d said, not mentioning the very significant step this would represent. 

Technically, if you’re being extremely pedantic with yourself, the two of you have  _ slept together _ several times. It’s just that those times were on your couch, late at night, following impressively-long movie marathons. There’s been snuggling, sure - along with some awkward morning hand placements and shy, hesitant makeout sessions - but actually sleeping in a bed together?  _ Planning _ to get him in a bed with you?

Yeah, you’re pretty excited about that, too.

The resort parking lot is crowded, and you haul your suitcase out of the trunk of the car as Bucky scans the rows upon rows of cars, eyes narrowed. Whether it’s from the blazing Florida sun or some inherent suspicion of any and all large crowds, you can’t be certain, but you shove a tote bag into his arms. 

“Turn off the Soldier, Bucky,” you order. “The main dangers facing us here are overheating and spending too much on souvenirs.”

“Or getting ambushed by Hydra agents.”

“Okay, fine. Don’t turn off the Soldier-brain  _ completely,  _ but at least relax a little. C’mon, I’m gonna check us in, and then we can explore.” 

You’re nearly bursting with anticipation as you check in and head off to your room, beaming at Bucky as you press your magic band to the door to open it.

“I don’t know why that’s so impressive,” he says, “considering the cutting-edge tech you see in the Tower every single day.”

“It’s  _ cool. _ They still had regular key cards, last time I was here.” You flop down onto the single bed, spreading out like a starfish. It’s been a long day in the car, and stretching out feels exquisite. “It’s been a while. Ready to explore?”

“Ready when you are,” he replies, pulling on his baseball cap. “Lead the way.”

You figure that exploring the resort a little will be a good way to stretch your legs and to get Bucky into vacation-mode. It’s going to be a long week if he keeps suspiciously staring at every friendly cast member who says hello.

“Dole Whip!” you cry, seizing his hand and dragging him outside. “This is my  _ favorite. _ You’re gonna love it.”

“What is it?” he asks, amused. 

“Pineapple ice cream. I only ever get it here, usually in Magic Kingdom. But since we just so happen to be staying in a resort that has it…”

Bucky wraps an arm around your waist. “Tell me you didn’t pick this hotel just because of the ice cream.”

“Okay,” you reply, “I won’t tell you that.”

You hold his hand as you wait in line for your turn at cold, refreshing deliciousness. He’s wearing long sleeves, along with a glove to cover his hand, all in an effort to avoid drawing attention - though you’ve tried to convince him that long sleeves and a leather glove in the Orlando heat might actually draw more attention than the metal arm.

“I gotta admit, this is pretty good,” he tells you as you stroll around the edge of the lagoon that borders your resort. He squints in the sun. “It’s  _ really _ humid here.”

“Yep.”

“You’ve got that face right now, you know.”

“What face would that be?”

“The one where you want to take a picture, but you’re afraid to ask me, because you know I hate pictures. It’s a very specific look.”

You laugh. “Guilty,” you tell him. “I just… like preserving happy memories. I know it’s silly.”

Bucky plucks your phone from your back pocket and steps up to a young family standing nearby before you can protest, a very bland, unintimidating sort of expression on his face. “Mind taking a picture of us?” he asks, and then he wraps his arm around you. “Smile, sweet stuff,” he tells you, and when you get your phone back and check the photo, thanking the lady who took it profusely, you discover that you’re giggling, while Bucky has an almost smug sort of smile.

_ It’s a keeper, _ you think.  _ He’s a keeper, too. _

~

Security lines apparently make Bucky antsy, and he fidgets with the band around his wrist as you stand in line at Magic Kingdom. It’s midafternoon already, but you figure you might as well try to get in as much park time as possible over the next week. It isn’t like you get to take vacations very often.

“I don’t know how I feel about them tracking us with these things,” he says. “Or the bio-data, or the fingerprints—”

“You just have to accept that The Mouse owns all our asses already, Bucky,” you reply. “It’s the price of the  _ magic.” _

“Right, right. Where are we going?”

“Straight to the teacups, baby.” You grin and wiggle your eyebrows. “Think you can make us spin faster than everyone else?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Teacups?”

“You’ll see.”

You get through security with almost-surprising ease, and you study Bucky as you guide him through the crowds of Main Street. “Tell me the truth - did you sneak in weapons?”

“Of course.”

_ “Bucky.” _

“Just a precaution,” he says. “You kinda have to assume I’m always armed. And I  _ know _ you want to make an arm joke,” he adds, eyes narrowing.

“I think you’re in my head.”

“I just know how you think.” 

You get pulled to a halt as you’re leading him across one of the bridges near the castle. 

“Does that kid have Steve’s face on his shirt?” Bucky asks, slightly strangled. 

You follow his gaze. “Yep. Odds are pretty good someone has a backpack or something with you on it, too - but at least you usually wear that face mask when you’re out avenging.”

“How am I supposed to react to that?”

“Accept that you’re a celebrity, I guess?” You lean up and kiss his stubbly cheek. “Don’t worry,” you tease, “that baseball cap  _ totally _ hides your identity.”

Bucky Barnes, you’re delighted to discover, is able to spin the teacups of the Mad Tea Party Ride with such ferocity that you’re almost certain at one point that you’re going to fly right out - and the little kids who hop out of the teacup beside you when the ride ends are so impressed that they insist on giving Bucky a high-five, which seems to absolutely baffle him.

It makes you imagine, just for a moment, what he would be like as a dad—

_ Nope, _ you tell yourself.  _ Too soon for that. Don’t get ahead of yourself. _

You work your way over to Adventureland, after that, practically making a beeline for Pirates of the Caribbean. A typical afternoon thunderstorm strikes right about the time you make it under shelter, which adds a little spooky flair to the darkened ride and its haunting music.

“Okay, here’s where I admit that I’m kinda scared of the dark,” you tell him, clinging to his arm. 

“I know you’re scared of the dark,” Bucky replies, “but this is all make-believe - and you told me you  _ love _ this ride.”

“I do, but it’s still creepy.”

He laughs and puts his arm around you, squeezing you closer as the line shuffles forward. “You’re something else. You know that, right?”

“In a really cool way?” you ask hopefully, peering through the grating in the wall at a couple of pirate skeletons down below. 

“Of course.”

“Am I cool enough that you’ll wear Mickey ears, if I get us some?”

“Hmm. You might have to bargain with me for that one,” he says. 

“What’s your price?”

He gets that  _ look _ in his eyes, then - the one that makes your insides feel all fluttery. “I’ll think of something.”

~

“I’m so tired,” you tell him. You’ve gotten in some serious steps over the course of the afternoon and evening, eager to squeeze in as much magic as possible. The burger and fries from Cosmic Ray’s have only served to make you more eager for a nap, though. “I’m probably gonna fall asleep and drown in the shower when we get back to the hotel.”

“I could join you,” Bucky says casually, glancing out of the corner of his eye to check your reaction. “Hold you up, make sure you get all of the sunscreen out of your hair.”

“Wait, is there really sunscreen in my hair?”

“Yep.”

You bite your lip. Showering together seems really intimate, and it’s not that you don’t  _ want _ to get more intimate with Bucky… but you haven’t gone completely  _ sans garments _ together yet, and you feel like late-night sunburn and sweat won’t give the best first impression. 

“What are you thinking, baby?” he asks when your silence stretches just a beat too long. 

You lean against his shoulder, feeling a little silly. “You, uh… you really want to wash my hair?”

“Sure do.”

“Maybe I could work on convincing you to be extra-touristy tomorrow?” you venture. “If you haven’t come up with your price yet… I’ve got a couple of ideas.”

He squeezes your waist. “Can’t wait to hear them,” he whispers in your ear, and you shiver and smile as the fireworks burst overhead, your spirits soaring alongside them.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: "could you possibly write something involving reader and bucky at an amusement park 🥺"


End file.
